Thursday March 21st, 2016
Richard let out a pained laugh at Micky's question. "Pretty sure I'll live," he groaned and slowly pushed himself to his feet, turning to help Sophia up with him. "Come on, we should get to the nurse."
He arched an eyebrow in Micky's direction as he got on Sophias other side and hooked her arm over his shoulders, but he didn't say anything, grateful for the help. Together the two of them started down the hall, half carrying Sophia between them in the direction of the nurses office.
"You realize we're going to have to have a discussion about that incident, right?"
Richard stopped, startled at the sudden voice and looked up to find Om blocking the hallway in front of them, his arms crossed over his broad chest. With his blazer removed, and the sleeves of his dark blue dress shirt rolled up Richard realized just how built the man was. The sleeves of his shirt practically strained around his arms and the material was stretched tightly across his chest. His blue eyes were like chips of ice as he stared them down and Richard had to force himself not to flinch.
The guy was scary. Om crooked a finger in their direction and turned, leading the way down the hall in the direction of the nurses office. "Come on, we'll get you guys looked at, and your parents are going to be called as well."
__________
Om walked into the nurses office to find Alden, Mina, and Largent already present.
"Good to see the three of you here," he said. He'd set aside his blazer and his light blue shirt was open at the collar, sleeves down and buttoned securely at his wrists. "We're going to have to have a discussion," he said, ignoring the way Largent glared at him. "And lucky for you guys, the principal has given me permission to mete out punishment and lessons in this incident as I see fit."
The door opened behind him and Richard, Sophia, and Micky walked in. Ricard jumped, jarring Sophia when he saw Om standing in the center of the room staring Largent down. He turned, a bewildered expression on his face as he looked out into the hall.
"Is something wrong, Richard?" Om asked without turning around or looking away from Largent.
"Huh?" He turned back, eyes wide, to look at Om standing in the center of the room. "Wha-... N-no I just..." He looked out in the hall again. "I just, I could have sworn you were behind us when we came in here."
"You must have been mistaken," Om said as the nurse came in and started looking Largent over. He pointed to his left at a bed and snapped his fingers. "Sit yer butt down, both of you. Mick, you stay too. I'll be back in a minute." His tone was curt, sharp, entirely unlike the calm and polite way he'd spoken to them in the hall. Without another word he turned and walked out of the nurses office, leaving Richard and Largent glaring daggers at each other across the room, an elderly nurse the only authority figure between them.
__________
With the vast majority of the excitement apparently finished, most of the students went back to their meals, chattering excitedly over the short lived fight, one might say beat down, that had been dished out by the diminutive Sophia. Blake shrugged and started back to his table to finish his lunch when that Chemistry teacher, Om, stepped in front of him. Hal stood at the mans elbow looking as bewildered as Hal felt.
"Blake, I'm going to need you to accompany us to the nurses office." He turned and walked away before Blake could say anything and Hal just shrugged helplessly, following along behind the substitute.
With the boys following along behind him like a pair of baby ducks Om made his way through the halls to the nurses office, going over what he was going to say in his head.
He pushed open the door and lead the two boys inside. Largent, Richard, and Sophia had all been seen by the nurse. None of them was permanently injured and the boys sat in their respective beds with the arms crossed sullenly over their chests. The gesture looked far less petulant on Largent than it did on Richard.
"Everyone take a seat," Om said and following his own advice, pulled a chair away from the wall and took off his blazer, setting the jacket across the back of the chair. He turned the chair around, and straddled it, arms crossed across the back, white dress shirt practically gleaming in the light streaming in through the office blinds. He waited until all eight students were sitting in various spots around the room and looked them all over thoughtfully.
"Something needs to be done about what happened today," he started. "Largent, you were in the wrong. Richard, you should have been paying attention. Sophia... impressive as that may have been, it was definitely overkill and you shouldn't have done it. Charges could be pressed. Police could, some say should, get involved. I, and the principal would rather avoid that. So, he's given me permission to involve all of you, as well as a few other students he's had to see today, in a little exercise."
"Largent, Richard, and Sophia. You three are in the worst trouble. So you'll be meeting me a Sea Side park tonight at 8 o'clock. We'll be doing a bit of a clean up effort. Hal, don't think no one noticed you pick up that lunch tray. That makes that a weapon, and that's a little more dangerous than what Sophia did." Largent's head whipped around and he glared at Hal, unaware of what the other boy had attempted until then.
"Blake, Mina, Alden, and Micky. You guys tried to help out without resorting to violence or attacking anyone. But you didn't go find a teacher the moment things started getting out of control. Like the rest of your generation of sheep you just watched and did nothing. This isn't a huge thing, but I think you guys could do better. So the four of you will be joining your four other friends here at Sea Side Park tonight at eight o'clock. Your parents have all already been informed of the situation and they all agreed."
He stood, ignoring the assorted dumbfounded looks directed in his direction, and grabbed his blazer, slipping it on with a smooth, practiced motion. "I'll see you all tonight," he said, and walked out of the room.
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